SALEM – A California man was arrested and charged with trafficking in prescription pills Friday when he was nabbed on an Amtrak train near Salem, Oregon, as he allegedly transported almost 1,800 Oxycontin tablets from Modesto enroute to Seattle.

Photo courtesy Marion County Sheriff

Members of the Marion County Methamphetamine Strike Force, in conjunction with the Street Crimes Unit and the Salem Police Drug Canine Unit, took 29-year old James T. Jones into custody without incident.  He was found in possession of 1,792 tablets, each with 80 mg of the potent opiate analgesic, oxycodone hydrochloride, police said.

According to a news release, Jones allegedly purchased the Oxycontin for $10 per pill in California, and the street-level value can range from $22 to $60 each leading to a potential profit of up to $100,000.

Jones was lodged in the Marion County Jail and is charged with delivery and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.